Baffle devices exist in various forms to decrease noise and gas flow from mechanical devices prior to the noise or gas being emitted into the atmosphere. Baffle devices are common in a variety of industries, including the firearms industry, the automotive industry, the energy industry, and many others. For example, baffle devices may be used with automobiles within automotive mufflers to decrease the noise produced by the automobile's engine. Baffle devices are also commonly used within sound suppressors on firearms to decrease the noise when the firearm is discharged. Sound suppression devices used with firearms are commonly referred to as silencers or suppressors.
While the construction and design of a baffle device may vary, depending on its use, all baffle devices generally include an enclosed pathway receiving the gas discharged from the automobile, firearm, or other machine. Within the enclosed pathway, the discharged gas contacts the baffles which disrupt the movement of the discharged gas, thereby providing resistance or redirection to the discharged exhaust gas flow. If the gas flow is redirected gradually, laminar flow of gas can be maintained while still decreasing temperature and pressure of the gas and lowering the sound pressure level of the discharge. Otherwise, this resistance causes the discharged gas to become turbulent and drop in pressure across the enclosed pathway, thereby decelerating the velocity of the discharged gas. As the discharged gas decelerates, being trapped between the baffles within the enclosed pathway, it loses energy and eventually exits the enclosed pathway. The ability of the baffle device to decelerate the gas acts to extend the period of time in which the discharged gas exits into the atmosphere and the amount of time the gas has to transfer heat to the surroundings, as compared to the discharged gas exiting directly into the atmosphere without obstruction, which reduces the noise created by the discharged gas.
While conventional baffle devices have many successes, they are often expensive and time consuming to manufacture and assemble, either consisting of multiple small parts or of a single monocore that requires extensive machining. Such baffle devices also require a secondary shell enclosure to act as a gas pathway and pressure vessel. Furthermore, the rigid nature of most baffle systems makes them difficult to remove and service once particulate debris and fouling from exhaust gases is deposited between the shell and the baffles of the device.
Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.